The Darwin Initiative

The Darwin Initiative

Ex-situ Conservation of Threatened Plants from the Ivoloina-Ifontsy Valleys

This 3-year project trains young Malagasy botanists and conservation horticulturalists and then directs and coaches them to prevent the loss, through ex-situ conservation, of sub-populations of at least 500 species of flowering plants growing in doomed forest fragments in the Ivoloina-Ifontsy River Valleys in central-eastern Madagascar.

From left to right: Trichilia muronata, Clerodendrum trichanthum,Vitex cauliflora and Rhodolaena coriacea

The Need for This ProjectThe Malagasy flora is both exceptionally rich (14,000 species) and highly endemic (90%). However, it is also very threatened by anthropogenic activities (e.g. shifting cultivation, wild fires, charcoal production etc.). Between 1950 and 2000, 40% of remaining forest was destroyed and forest loss continues today at a similar pace. Most forest outside of protected areas will be lost in the next decade. An estimated 14% of the native Malagasy flora is not included in any protected area and many of these excluded species occur as tiny populations in small, degraded fragments of natural vegetation where they are exceptionally vulnerable. Ideally, these habitats should be conserved but this rarely occurs because of their small size and degraded nature. Thus, the most viable alternative to extinction for these species will be ex-situ conservation, either as growing plants in secure collections or as seeds in seed banks. In this project we focus on the ex-situ conservation of plants growing in unprotected forest fragments in the Ivoloina and Ifontsy river valleys of central-eastern Madagascar.

Two examples of small and disappearing forest patches from which the Darwin Initiative team collected seeds and, on the left, completely surrounded by a human landscape, is Betampona Natural Reserve, a lowland rainforest that harbors high levels of biodiversity. ​

​Project LocationIn the recent past the landscape of the Ivoloina and Ifontsy river valleys would have been covered by continuous lowland rainforest. Now little of this forest remains: just the 22 km² Betampona Natural Reserve and a scatter of tiny, degraded, unprotected and very threatened fragments in the surrounding landscape. In this project we aim to collect seed samples from native plants surviving in these unprotected fragments and conserve this biodiversity as growing plants at Parc Ivoloina or as seeds in seed banks.

Parc Ivoloina was originally established by the French to identify non-native commercial trees that could thrive in Madagascar’s east coast environment. Today Parc Ivoloina is managed under lease by the MFG. Its 282 hectares comprise a matrix of habitat patches that are still dominated by exotic trees but are purposefully being replaced with east coast endemic species. ​

Project approach and activitiesThis project seeks not just the ex-situ conservation of threatened Malagasy plants but also aims to train a select group of motivated young Malagasy men and women to gain the additional skills required to become botanists and conservation horticulturalists. The majority of the training was explicitly intended to be in the form of hands-on experience under the tutelage and supervision of seasoned professionals. The major elements in this project are: ​​

Training four young Malagasy to become excellent field botanists​Vouchered seed samples of plants growing in doomed forest fragments of the Ivoloina and Ifontsy river valleys are being collected by four young Malagasy botanists who were trained by the project and are being coached during their work. Training was provided over 3 months by an array of experts from diverse organisations including: Missouri Botanical Garden, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza and Silo National des Graines Forestières (SNGF). Major themes included in the training were: plant identification, leadership, organisation of safe, effective and ethical field trips, collection of voucher herbarium specimens, and collection of high quality seed samples for ex-situ conservation. A special thanks to Richard Randrianaivo, and Solofo Rakotarisoa for sharing their expertise and to Patrice Antilahimena, one of Madagascar’s most experienced field botanists, who will continue to mentor the young botanists as they conduct their work. ​

​​Training of five young Malagasy as conservation horticulturistsIn Madagascar the propagation of plants is typically treated as an unskilled occupation but in this project we propose the opposite to be true and we have invested in training five young Malagasy over 2 months in the full array of horticultural skills. The training was led by Alex Mamisoa (right), a passionate and experienced horticulturalist, with important contributions from Lala Randriatavy (far right) and staff from SNGF. It is these trainees, with the ongoing coaching from Alex, who are propagating the seed samples collected by the field botanists. ​

​​Creation of a Model NurseryTo propagate the hundreds of seed samples collected by the field botanists the existing nursery was rehabilitated and a large new nursery was installed at Parc Ivoloina. Following best practice, these nurseries included a series of propagation tables (so that seedlings are not at ground level where they are more vulnerable to attack by pests), clean graveled paths and shade netting roof and walls.

​Field Trips to Collect Vouchered Seed Samples from Doomed ForestsAfter their training, the field botanists, with coaching from Patrice, began to organise a series of fieldtrips to systematically visit remaining unprotected forest fragments in the Ivoloina and Ifontsy river valleys. When the botanists encounter native plants with ripe seeds they collect seed samples. Each sample is accompanied by a voucher herbarium specimen to enable scientific identification and, where possible, the seeds in the sample were collected from several individuals of the same species to maximise the genetic diversity of the sample.

​Propagation of Seed Samples and Seed BankingEach seed sample, tagged with the number of its voucher, is sent to the nursery team at Parc Ivoloina, who accession, clean and sow the seeds. As the seeds germinate the seedlings are pricked out into pots and grown on until large enough to be planted.Throughout the process the plants are carefully tagged with their accession number. A proportion of seed samples from species judged to be suitable for preservation in seed banks are dispatched to SNGF for inclusion in their seed bank. A subset of these seeds are then forwarded to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for inclusion in their Millennium Seedbank.

Planting the AccessionsOnce the seedlings have attained 35 cm in height, they are individually labelled with an aluminium tag and planted out into a part of Parc Ivoloina that has been designated as the location of the ex-situ conservation collection for plants. The planting location of each seedling is georeferenced and this information is captured in the accession database. These plants will be weeded and shaded and watered if necessary until well established and monitored every 12 months to track survival and growth.​

Progress Tracker

Indicator

As of October 2018

# of fieldtrips completed

17

# of vouchered seed samples collected

832 (ca. 50% threatened)

% of vouchers identified to family, genus, species

100%, 99%, 82%

# of families represented in collected seed samples

84

# of genera represented in collected seed samples

214

# of species represented in collected seed samples

430

# of seed samples dispatched for conservation in seed banks

245

# of seed samples sown

744

# of seed samples germinating

602

# of seed samples providing young plants that have been planted-out in Parc Ivoloina

350

Total number of seedlings planted at Parc Ivoloina

12,335

% mortality after 6 months

14%

Highlight achievements

The model nursery with its skilled staff is now being solicited by other organisations to provide training for their staff in best practices for the propagation of native trees – to date 35 people have been trained in this manner.

Among the forest fragments visited by the field botanists was a cluster of fragments known as the Ampasina Forest. Here we were surprised to discover a community association, called VOI-Lovasoa, dedicated to conserving these forest vestiges. Our work at this site provided information on the flora of their forest that the association can use for fund-raising and to guide management, provided some income for association members who worked with us as guides and seed collectors, and helped convince doubters in the community that the forest was truly important.

Three species of plants have been discovered that are thought to be new to science: a species of Melanophylla (Toricelliaceae), a species of Polyscias (Araliaceae) and a species of Vitex (Lamiaceae)

A population of Dracaena umbraculifera has been discovered. This dramatic and critically endangered plant was thought until recently to be extinct in the wild.

From Left to Right: Dracaena umbraculifera, New species of Vitex, New species of Melanophylla

New Species - And Possibly New Genus​The below unusual plant was discovered in a small forest fragment near Betampona Natural Reserve. A new, yet-to-be-named species within the family Celastraceae, botanists believe it may be an entirely new genus.

The Darwin InitiativeThe Darwin Initiative is a UK Government funding program that aims to assist countries with rich biodiversity but poor financial resources to meet their objectives under various biodiversity-related conventions including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). More information about the Darwin Initiative can be found at their website: http://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/​​​

​Project partnersThis project is implemented by a team that includes: The Madagascar Fauna and Flora Group (MFG), Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), Silo National des Graines Forestières (SNGF), the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew; and Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT). ​

Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), a managing member of MFG, has been an important, long term advisor and conservation partner. MBG has been working in Madagascar since the 1970’s and have built a diverse program of scientific research (responsible for the discovery of multiple new species and many taxonomic revisions of Madagascar’s flora) and have more recently developed a comprehensive conservation program including both in-situ and ex-situ projects. Dr Chris Birkinshaw, MBG’s Technical Advisor, has been the mastermind of this Darwin Initiative project and has advised on all technical aspects of the project. Richard Randrianaivo and Patrice Antilahimena have led the botanical training and field work aspects of the project.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew began working in Madagascar in 1986 and have made a large contribution to knowledge of the Malagasy flora including producing several important reference publications. Kew actively participate in a range of conservation activities including ex-situ conservation of endangered species and several development initiatives valorising important native Malagasy plants (such as highly nutritional endemic yams). Stuart Cable, Kew’s Madagascar Research Leader, was involved in the conception and set up of the Darwin Initiative project and Solofo Rakotoarisoa, Kew’s Ecosystems Team Leader in Madagascar, has been instrumental in training the field botanists, helping with the first year’s field collection trips, providing taxonomic advice and facilitating the export of a sub-set of suitable seeds collected through this project seeds to Kew’s Millennium Seedbank for ex-situ preservation.

Silo National des Graines Forestières (SNGF) work to valorise Malagasy flora as a commercial enterprise providing seed for multiple reforestation and restoration initiatives across Madagascar. They carry out important research on the propagation of certain commercially important species and play a vital role nationally in ex-situ plant conservation by housing their own seedbank and exporting seed to Kew’s Millennium Seedbank. In this Darwin Initiative Project SNGF have been responsible for helping train both field botanists and horticulturalists, participating in field collection trips, conserving suitable seed within their own seedbank and preparing batches for export to Kew.

Parc Botanique et Zoologique de Tsimbazaza (PBZT), located in the capital, Antananarivo,was founded in 1925. As well as being an attraction for national and international visitors, PBZT is involved in multiple research projects and ex-situ conservation efforts. In this project PBZT have helped train the botanical team, participated in field collection trips and are keeping representatives of a large proportion of the species collected through this project in their ex-situ collection.

From left to right: Paropsia madagascariensis, Eremolaena humblotiana, Tambourissa uapacifolia, and an unknown species of Schizolaena.